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<p class="MsoNormal">One of the upcoming changes – soon! June 11! – is to RCW 11.28.110. Where it used to say that the petition to commence a probate must be “verified by the applicant or his or her attorney,” it’s amended to say “verified by
<u>oath of</u> the application or his or her attorney.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Is that a substantive change? My practice has always been to have the client sign the petition under penalty of perjury. The addition of “oath of” to the statute doesn’t appear to cause any of the exceptions in the Unsworn Declarations
Act to apply. <a href="https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=5.50&full=true#5.50.030">
RCW 5.50.030</a>. The petition isn’t an “oath of office” the way the actual oath of the PR is (which still requires a notary).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Is there any substantive difference between a “verified petition” and a petition “verified by oath”?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="color:#467886">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Liberty Upton<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, May 5, 2026 11:55 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] 2026 Legislative Update and RPPT Midyear Conference<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1. <b><u>2026 Real Property, Probate, and Trust Section Midyear Conference</u>.</b> The RPPT Midyear will be June 5<sup>th</sup> – 7<sup>th</sup> at the Hilton in Vancouver, Washington. The deadline to get in on the RPPT room block at the
hotel is May 13<sup>th</sup>. You can register here: <a href="https://www.mywsba.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Default.aspx?TabID=1356&productId=28499234">
https://www.mywsba.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Default.aspx?TabID=1356&productId=28499234</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2. <b><u>Legislative Update</u>. </b>The following bills passed during the recent legislative session and will go into effect soon:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="a">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3"><b>SB 6347</b> – Changes to Estate Tax Rates and Estate Tax Exemption for deaths on or after
<i><u>7/1/26</u></i>. <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=6347&Year=2026">
https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=6347&Year=2026</a> <o:p></o:p></li></ol>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:.75in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="2" type="a">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3"><b>HB 2445</b> – Ending Probates for Profit. Effective on
<i><u>6/11/26</u></i>. Brent Williams-Ruth will be doing a full hour-long presentation at the RPPT Midyear about the changes to the probate process because of this bill. There are major changes especially for intestate estates.
<a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2445&Year=2025&Initiative=false">
https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2445&Year=2025&Initiative=false</a>
<o:p></o:p></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="3" type="a">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3"><b>SB 6346</b> – Millionaires’ Tax. Effective dates are all over the place and it is already being challenged.
<a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/?BillNumber=6346&Year=2025&Initiative=false">
https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/?BillNumber=6346&Year=2025&Initiative=false</a>
<o:p></o:p></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b>d.<b> HB 2158</b> – Electronic Notarial Acts effective
<i><u>1/1/27</u></i>. <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=2158%20&Year=2025&Initiative=false">
https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=2158%20&Year=2025&Initiative=false</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Happy reading!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Liberty Upton<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Attorney<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><img border="0" width="164" height="50" style="width:1.7083in;height:.5208in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DCE38A.EF265110"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">F.K.A. KHBB Law PLLC<span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tel (206) 382-4414 / Fax (206) 382-4412 <u><span style="color:#156082"><a href="mailto:liberty@bc-estatelaw.com"><span style="color:#156082">liberty@bc-estatelaw.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1000 Second Avenue / Suite 3670 / Seattle, WA 98104 /<span style="color:#2F5496">
</span><u><span style="color:#156082"><a href="http://www.bc-estatelaw.com/"><span style="color:#156082">www.bc-estatelaw.com</span></a></span><span style="color:#2F5496">
<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:#2F5496"><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><i><span style="color:red;mso-ligatures:none">Please note our new firm name and address.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><i><span style="color:red;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><i><span style="color:red;mso-ligatures:none">Vacation Notice: I will be out of the office June 5<sup>th</sup> – June 24<sup>th</sup>.
</span></i><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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